Those Who Remain
by DistrictMockingjay
Summary: Prim is gone, and Katniss has to return to twelve alone, facing the faces of her past, handling the troubles of her future. But the memories that she has with Prim will haunt her forever. Co-written with Insert Catchy Penname Here. Summary sucks, please read! Rated T because I'm paranoid.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! This is a series of events in Katniss' life that she experienced with Prim. This was created with the help of _Innocent Primrose Everdeen,_ so go check out her stories!**

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I look outside while I make myself a glass of water. Today is the first day that the children are returning to school since the Rebellion. I go out onto the front porch to watch the little ones make their way to the elementary school. It's an odd assortment of kids from 12, 13, and kids whose parents moved here to help from other districts. I smile as I watch a little boy manage to jump into all the mud puddles left from last night's rain. Then I see two small girls, holding hands, one about five, and the other about ten. They smaller girl is crying; it must be her first day of school. The bigger one bends down and starts talking to her-

_Prim is sitting on the bed, shaking like a leaf. "Primmy, what's wrong?" I ask her. She says, "I am scared." "Are you nervous about school, Primmy? You shouldn't be," I say, pulling her into a hug. "You're friend Baley will be there." She buries her face into my shoulder. "I make more friends, right Katniss?" "Of course you will, Prim! You are very friendly," I say. She smiles and says,"You nice too! You make LOTS of friends!" My eyes darken, but only for a moment, before I say, "Maybe. Are you ready? Daddy is going to take us to school on his way to work!" "YAY!" Prim shouts, then tries to put her shoes on backwards. I laugh and help her fix them. Daddy comes in the room and says," Are my two Mockingjays ready to go?" "YES!" Prim shouts, and runs to him. He puts her on his shoulders and Daddy says, "Are you ready for your first day, Little Flower?" I giggle because they look so funny. Prim giggles as Daddy walks out the door. I laugh and grab mine and Prim's lunch pail and head out the door after them. "BYE MOMMY!" I shout on my way out._

The flashback passes and I find myself still on my porch at my house in the Victor's Village. I am breathing heavily, and I see something approach out of the corner of my eye. "Katniss? Are you OK?" He asks. "You look like you've seen a ghost." I nod weakly, then stand to go inside but collapse. He helps me up and into my house. He leads me to the couch and goes to the kitchen, where I can hear him making something. He comes back a few minutes later, but has a cup of tea in his hands. He holds it out. "For you," he says. I take it and we sit in silence. After a while he gets up and goes to the door. "Katniss-" he begins, but then stops. "What?" I say, kind of annoyed. "Nothing. If you need anything, you know where I am." Then he leaves.

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**I know it's short but it's a bunch of one shot memories building up to a bigger story. Don't hate! Review my lovelies! Feel free to leave suggestions of more memories for Katniss to have!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**

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Oh what a happy day it is for me. Happy 18th Birthday, Me! I say to myself. I snort. Well, another day, lonely as usual. I get up to get my bow, deciding to head to the woods. As I'm getting my dad's hunting jacket, someone knocks on the front door. I huff and go down to answer it. When I open the door, I see him standing there with a box. "Happy Birthday, Katniss," he says quietly, then sets the box down on the front step and walks away. I grab the box and shut the door. Curiosity wins over and I open the lid. A cake. With beautiful flowers...

_I know I've slept in late. I shoot up, then relax. It's Sunday. Then shoot up again. I need to go meet Gale in the woods. Then I notice neither Prim nor Mom are in the room. I walk out into the kitchen. There is mom, stirring something, and Prim, setting the table. And Mom is smiling. "Hey," I say, more to Prim than my mother. "Katniss!" she says. "Happy 14th Birthday!" She comes to hug me. "Hey there Little Duck," I say while hugging Prim back. "Whatcha doing?" She grins, a huge, missing-her-front-tooth grin. "Fixing breakfast for you." I look up to see mom pulling something out of our ratty stove and I say jokingly, "It can't POSSIBLY be because it's my birthday, is it?" She giggles. "It is! It IS!"_

_ Prim practically drags me to the table and sits me in a chair. "So what did you make me?" I ask. "Orange juice, which I saved up for with money from Lady, eggs from Mr. Wheeler's chickens, and turkey bacon!" She says triumphantly. "Wow, I can't wait to try it!" I say. I eye Mom, waiting for her to shut down, to leave us here alone. But she doesn't. She serves Prim and I then herself. She even kisses our foreheads and quietly tells us she loves us. While I am enjoying the orange juice, someone knocks on our door. "I'll get it," I say and walk over to the door. There stands... _

_...A box. I look up and see someone running away. A boy. With blonde hair like Prim's. He looks back, once. Prim comes around from behind me and grabs the box. I crane my neck to see the boy's face. "Katniss!" Prim yells. "It's a cake!" "Huh-Wha?" I say. I look down and see she is holding the box, then back up to see the boy, but he is gone. Prim goes to set it on the table while I latch the door. I walk over to where Prim set the cake. Who just gives someone in the Seam a cake? I look at it and see it says 'Happy Birthday Katniss' in green icing. How'd they know it was my birthday? "Prim.." I start, wanting to finish with maybe we should throw it out, but I look at her hungry eyes and finish with, "let's get some forks first._

_"He must like you," Prim says while we enjoy the cake. "Who?" I say, blushing. "That blonde boy!" She says. "I don't know Prim, maybe he just wanted to be nice." I say. "I wonder who would spend money on us? I mean,this cake must have cost a fortune. Unless..." I say, letting it dawn on me. Prim realizes this too. "Unless it was one of the baker's sons!" "Why would he do that?" I ask Mom. "He must like you," she mumbles softly. _

_That's crazy. A Townie liking Seam Trash? But what my mom says makes me feel weird inside, so I change the subject. "Prim, do you like the cake?" "Yes," she says, "But I know you should. She's right. I do. Because it is my favorite, chocolate. "I wonder how he knew..?" I think out loud. We get done and since I am not allowed to do any chores (by order of Prim) I go sit on the front porch steps, looking down the alley that the boy ran. I remember that when he looked back, we made eye contact for a second. A millesecond. A moment. But his eyes locked onto mine and I couldn't look away._

This flashback leaves me feeling more drained than the usual ones, so I close the door and put my bow away. I go over to where I placed the cake. Huh. It's chocolate.

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**I hope you enjoyed my lovelies! Please review! **


	3. Chapter 3

I** really hope you guys enjoy this, and maybe give me a few reviews and follows?**

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I am sitting on mine and Gale's rock in the woods. Now that there is no Capitol, the fences have been knocked down and now everyone can travel freely. I spend most of my time here, thinking, sorting things out. Sometimes it helps. Most of the time I just go home comfused. I watch a spider spin an intricate web on a nearby tree. How it is so beautiful, delicate, but strong enough to support the spider. I watch for a while. All of a sudden, I feel someone's presence behind me.

"Catnip?"

I turn and see him, not in his usual hunter's wear, but a more sophisticated outfit. "Hello Gale" I say.

"Can I sit?"

"Well it is a free country."

He takes his place on my left. It almost feels like old times. Except for the memories. I shudder. "Are you cold?" Gale asks. He puts his coat around my shoulders. "I'm fine," I say. I give him back his coat. "Katniss, don't be ridiculuous-"

"Don't, Gale."

"What?" He asks, coming closer. "STOP, Gale." He stops. My bottom lip starts quivering. "Why did you leave?" I ask him.

"Because they offered me a job in special weaponry in 2. I just couldn't pass up that opportunity... to get out of this hellhole-" I am starting to tear up. "THEN WHY DID YOU COME BACK!?" I shout. Then I bolt. "KATNISS!" He shouts. I hear him run after me. But I was always the fastest of the two of us. I stop running when he either A) gave up because it was futile, or B) I lost him. "But now I'm lost." I say out loud, to nobody in particular. Then I see it. It is very faded from wind and rain, but it is still there.

_"Come on Prim," I say. "Where are we going?" She asks. "On an adventure" I say. I grab her hand and lead her to the fence. "Go under, Prim," I say. "Katniss, are you sure? Is this safe?" I laugh. "Prim, I wouldn't let you do anything that would hurt you." She still looks skeptical, but she goes under. I follow suit and grab her hand. I lead her to the log where I keep my bow. Then take her to a tree with some beginner arrows. We find my arrows and a small beginner's bow stashed behind a large pile of rocks. "I'm going to show you how to hunt," I say. "Oh." That is all she says._

_I decide that we should start with squirrels, since they are easy game and there is plenty of them. "Here Prim," I help adjust the small bow in her hands. "Just pull back... like this," I demonstrate. I let her shoot some into a tree. "You think you're ready to try to shoot one?" I ask. She takes a deep breath. "Yeah," she says. We scan the trees until I find one and quietly point it out to her. She nods and pulls back the string. the first arrow misses. The second one gets it right in the stomach. It falls to the ground. She is a natural. _

_She runs over to it, I'm assuming because she is proud and wants to show it off. I go over to her. "Good job, Prim!" I say. Instead of looking at me with a smile, I see tears running down her cheeks. "C-can we s-save it?" she cries. I kneel down. The animal is already dead. "I'm sorry Prim, but it's dead," I say. She cries softly. I should have never brought her out here! I think. I pick it up by the tail and pull out the arrow. "BE CAREFUL!" Prim says. "Prim, it's dead. Besides, how else am I going to carry it to town?" _

_"No," she says, "Wh-we have to bury h-him," she says. I sigh, but we aren't starving, and she is crying, so I oblige. We dig a small hole under the tree that she shot it. We replace the dirt. "Let's go," I say. "Not yet," she says. "He needs a headstone." She looks up at me, so sad, that I can't refuse. "fine. But then we go. Okay?" I say. "Okay," she says. She looks around until she finds a piece of bark that will do justice for a headstone. She has me use my small knife to carve the words 'MR. SQUIRREL LAID HERE BY KATNISS AND PRIM.' I shove it into the ground. I grab her hand. "Come on. Let's go home."_

I have sat for hours staring at the small memorial and now it is nighttime. Now that I remember where I am, I know I can get back to town. But I still sit.

"Katniss. KATNISS!"

I hear someone call my name faintly. But it was getting louder. I consider running. But no, I just sit. I don't reply.

"KATNISS!"

I recognize the voice now. It's Haymitch. _Why is Haymitch looking for me? _I hear my name again, but closer. And it isn't Haymitch.

"KATNISS!"

I stand stiffly. My joints ache from sitting for so long. "I'm here," I shout. They both come barreling through the bushes at the same time. Haymitch falls on his face. He pushes himself up and brushes off his shirt. "Glad you're safe, Sweetheart, but this little stroll interrupted my drink. I'll leave you two alone." With that, he clumsily makes his way back to town. "Gosh, I'm glad you're all right," he says. He pulls me into a hug. I only hesitate a moment before I return it.

"Peeta, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself," I say. His face is pale. I grow alarmed. "Peeta, what's wrong?" "My leg..." he says. I help him sit on a small rock. "Good thing the moon is full tonight. So why did you two come look for me?" I say. "Gale," he says. "He came to Haymitch's. Asked if you were there. He said no. Gale got mad saying you ran from him in the woods and that he lost you and nobody had seen you in hours. We got worried and decided to come look." I sit for a moment. "Then where is Gale?" I ask. "Well, he said that he had really important business this evening, so he couldn't help," he says. "Oh," is all I say.

Peeta changes the subject. "So whats that?" he motions to the headstone. My mouth curves up a little. "Oh nothing. Just a little memory of Prim and I hunting," I say. "Why don't we go home?" I ask. I help him up. "Better?" I ask. He grabs my hand.

"Much better."


	4. Chapter 4

**This is my longest chapter so far, hope you like!**

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_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! _

"I'm COMING!" I yell, as loud as my groggy voice will allow me. I am still half asleep. Then, more of that infernal pounding. I sit up straight, then get up and put on something decent. I hear more banging and practically bolt to the door. I am about to let this person hear every nice bit of profanity District 12 has to offer. But when I open it up, I see Haymitch, and he looks very worried. I start to ask him. "Haymitch-wha-" He interrupts. "It's the boy. You have to come. Now."

When we get to the hospital, I start to get VERY nervous. "Haymitch, what's wrong?" He just starts muttering things about fires and bread. This is so confusing. I eventually just stop trying to make out what he's saying and I stay at his pace. We fall in step, though that isn't the most important thing on my mind. I cannot think clearly. In fact, I can't think AT ALL. This makes no sense, and it's killing me. We finally enter a room, and what I see is NOT what I was expecting. Peeta is laying there on life support.

First, my body goes numb. Then I feel as though I can't breathe. I look over at him and see his chest rising painfully, agonizingly, as they try to save him. I've only ever felt this twice. When Prim died, and when my Dad died. The room has started going black. I feel like I'm falling...

_I had gotten in trouble. For beating up a Townie that was bothering Prim. And for it, I couldn't go hunting with Dad for two weeks. I am so angry. At Dad and that Townie. And maybe even a little bit at Prim. _

_As I get ready for school, Dad comes to my door and picks Prim up. He kisses her and she laughs. I want to run to him and have him kiss me too, but I am still angry. He puts her down. "I love you, Little Flower," he says to her. He looks at me. I keep staring hard at the mirror while still brushing my hair, though I should've stopped minutes ago. Dad is still looking at me. "I love you, Mockingjay," he says. I don't reply. Instead, I grab Prim's hand and say, "Time to do Prim's hair," like I always do. I see through the corner of my eye that I hurt him._

_After we are all ready, I tell Mom we are leaving. She comes and kisses us both, and Dad kisses Prim. He tries to kiss me but I push him away. The hurt in his eyes is almost unbearable. I want to beg him to forgive me, but I can't give in. He says what he said earlier. "I love you, Mockingjay." We all leave, me and Prim to school, Dad to the mines._

_During math, the alarm goes off. Kids are running all around, beyond scared straight. The mines have exploded._

_I find Prim and grab her hand. We make our way to the mine. I feel tears coming on. They start bringing up survivors. I keep telling myself that he's in the next car, in the next car. I watch as my classmates leave with their fathers and mothers that have been rescued. The number of people here is dwindling. Less people are coming out of the mines. I get more scared._

_They finally announce that all the survivors have been brought up. Prim starts crying immediately. I start to feel numb. I tell Prim that maybe he got lost, I will find him, to stay with Mom. As I search the crowd, my heart starts to break. My father isn't coming back. _

_Eventually, everyone is gone but me. Prim went home with Mom. I stay there, as if expecting him to come out of the mine enterance, and see him say, "See Mockingjay? It was just a trick." But of course he doesn't. I can't breathe. "This is my fault," I say into the darkness of the mineshaft. If I hadn't been a baby. I sit and cry. I put my face to the ground. I break into a round of hysterical sobs._

_"I love you too, Daddy. I love you too. I'm sorry Daddy!"_

I'm starting to regain consciousness. I see Haymitch and 2 doctors standing over me. They look relieved when I open my eyes.

"You had me worried, Sweetheart. You were out for 6 hours."

"Haymitch, what's wrong with Peeta?"

This time, he doesn't mumble. He explains that Peeta was working in the new bakery. He had just started a new oven, and he went to start mixing some cookie dough," He explains, "and a gas cord was out of place or something, and the whole place blew. Lucky, he was the only one in there. He was far enough away that he didn't get seared, but a ton of rubble fell on him. He has a broken rib and a punctured lung, result of the rib. They are going to give him surgery tomorrow. For now he is on morphine and could wake any minute."

For some reason, even after my 6 hour nap, I feel exhausted. I ask the doctors If I can stay here overnight, and they say yes. They say I can sleep in the bed on the other side of the room. After they leave, I drag a chair to Peeta's bedside and stroke his hair out of his face. This isn't right, though. There is a possibility that he could _die,_ just like Dad. But I never told Dad I loved him when I had the chance. I can't take advantage of those I love like I did to my poor father. But do I love Peeta? I think so. I don't feel numb thinking about Madge's death, even though we were best friends. As I am contemplating this, his eyes flutter open.

"Peeta!" I practically shout. At first he is startled to see me. Then, he relaxes. "Good to see your eyes again," he says, smiling weakly. "I said that to you in the first Games, Real or Not Real?" "Real" I say. He closes his eyes and asks me something else. "You are protecting about me, Real or Not Real?" "Real," I say. "That's what you and I do, protect each other." He doesn't miss a beat. "You love me, Real or Not Real?" I only hesitate a moment.

"Real."


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much to oshb123 for reviewing last chapter! And I'm really glad you like the story.**

**I really hope that you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! By the way, in the flashback, Katniss is 8 and Prim is almost 5.**

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In the middle of late afternoon, I decide I can't stand to be in this house right now. Sometimes, I just get this feeling that the walls are caving in around me. So, I grab my Dad's hunting jacket and head out. I don't know where, exactly. Just wherever my feet lead me. It's funny, because since we got back to Twelve, the buildings look different but are in the same places. Like the justice building. Or the shoestore. Or the bakery.

The Bakery.

That is where my feet have taken me. I stand out front, looking at the door, then the sign that hangs in front of the window. I can't bring myself to go in. They built this one just like the last. I can see where I sat in the rain, where Peeta's mother hit him. Where she yelled at me. The oven exploded and broke Peeta's rib. I start taking in sharp, short breaths. I can't breathe. I'm hyperventilating. I forget everything, just that I must GO. I take two steps back then run. Out into the street. I see the car before it sees me, but it's too late.

_**BAM!**_

The impact with the car throws me into the air. The driver gets out, and I hit the ground with a THUD. It is pretty obvious I am losing consciousness. I am vaguely aware of being lifted off the ground. I can hear people yelling, talking, but I can't make out what they say. My vision is blurry. I can see the bakery doors open and a figure running out. Everything is chaos.

And then I black out.

_Mommy is taking me and Prim to town. She is getting us new shoes. We are very excited, because we get to go with her. "Nissy, what's in da town?" she asks. "People. Lots an' lots of 'em, with hair all like yours," I say, as I play with a piece of her hair. She giggles, and we jump off the bed to get our shoes. _

_The whole way to town, I hold Mommy's left hand and Prim holds her right. It rained yesterday, so me and Prim jump in the puddles and laugh until Mommy says that we have to stop. When we get to town, Mommy takes us into the shoe store to get the shoes. Mr. Cartwright helps Mommy out. he takes her around the store, looking at shoes. I wrinkle my nose and whisper to Prim, "Why do old people like looking at shoes?" She just shrugs. We are sitting on a bench next to the big shop window. Prim gasps and points to something outside the window._

_"PRETTY!"_

_I look outside and see she is pointing across the street to the bakery's window, with all of it's pretty cookies and cakes. I know what Prim wants. I walk over to Mama and tug on her sleeve. "Mama," I say, politely as possible, "can me and Primmy go across the street an' look at the cakes?" She smiles and says, "Of course. but keep an eye on Prim!" I grab Prim's hand and we go outside and cross the street to the bakery. _

_When we are up close, the cakes are prettier. She likes the cookies with the flowers, and I like a cake with birds and animals on it. It reminds me of the woods. She turns to me and asks, "Nissy, can we get one?" __"No, Primmy. Not today," I say, sadly. We turn to go back when someone comes out of the bakery._

_"Uh, Hi."_

_"Hi."_

_"I uh, I saw you guys lookin' at the cookies, so, well, I brought you some."_

_"Oh, Okay. Thanks."_

_Prim is very happy. She has a big smile on her face. "OH THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOUUUU!" She is clapping her hands and jumping up and down. He looks up from the ground at which he's been staring the entire time, and I see him make a half-smile. We stand there for a few minutes in silence. Them Mama comes out of the shoe store. I grab Prims hand. _

_"See ya, Peeta."_

_"See ya, Katniss."_

_I turn and go to Mama. I grab her hand. Prim's hands are occupied by mine and the cookies. I look back at the bakery and see a woman with clenched teeth motion for Peeta to go in. Then she smacks him on the head.I try to forget what I had just seen, because Mama and Daddy have never hit me. When we get home, me and Prim open the bag and find 8 cookies. A whole 8 cookies! "Wow Nissy!" Prim says. "These are mazing!" _

Nissy. That's what Prim called me before she could say Katniss. This is the first thought that enters my head. Then I register a numbing pain coming from my middle, and let's not forget a huge headache!

As I open my eyes, my vision starts to clear up. I can see the faces around me. Haymitch, Peeta, a man that must be my doctor, and Delly. They are all white and look worrired. Their faces start to color once I open my eyes. Peeta is the first to speak. "Good to see your eyes again," he says. "I said that in the first Games, Real or Not Real?" "Real," I say. You said I was out for a few days." The doctor speaks up. "Ms. Everdeen, it appears that when you were hit by the car, you went immediately comatose. You have been in this state for a little over a week," he pauses, letting it sink in. "You have a concussion and bruised lungs. Really, it's a miracle."

I think about what the doctor has told me. I should have died. I should be dead. In fact, I should have died when I was 11, when we almost starved. I should have died in the first Arena, and the second. In the capitol. In 13. But by the grace of God, I am still alive. Because of people that have protected me, kept me alive if it meant their own demise. Finnick, Rue, Prim, Haymitch, Peeta, Gale, Boggs, Thresh, my father, the list goes on and on. We sit in silence for a minute, until I reply.

"There are lots of miracles, Doc."


End file.
